


Red Dusk

by Werewolfqueen



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-04-02
Packaged: 2018-01-17 22:32:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1404964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Werewolfqueen/pseuds/Werewolfqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sniper sits in the Australian outback and thinks back to his past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Dusk

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all, this is my first post here so I thought I would share with you a piece of work that I am rather pleased with and see what you think, now please forgive any spelling or grammatical errors as I am Dyslexic and the odd mistake slips through the checking process and if you point any mistake out I shall fix it as soon as I am able. I would love some feed back on what you think of this piece and how you think I can improve on anything. Thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy it.

The sky bled flames of Crimson and orange that painted swirls across the last of the Australian day, the suffocating heat had given way to the warmth of the evening causing long shadows to stretch their forms across the dry and cracked ground of the Out back. The air was filled with the quiet chirp of crickets as they sang of their awakening and the occasional distant howl of a wild dog calling for her mate.

Clawing its way towards the horizon was a dusty, neglected dirt road, dry grass scattered around the boundaries of the path, old tire marks etched in the sand as no rain had come for the past four months to wash them away. A little way off from the road was an old battered Camper van, its Paint chipped and dented adding decoration to it ageing form. To some it would it appear to be of no more value than a heap of scraps but to its owner it was priceless.

At the front of the Camper lay a Cattle dog, he stretched his legs then scratched as he enjoyed the setting suns warming embrace, his tail wagged lazily against the soft ground as he remembered his busy day of chasing hares in the bush with his owner. A far off howl of a wild dog echoed to his ears and caused him to raise his head almost curiously, wondering whether he would be required to defend his territory. A quick glance at his master relaxing on the bonnet reassured him that there would be no need, instead he settled his head back down between his paws, sighing heavily in contentment. 

The dogs owner sprawled out on the bonnet, his lanky legs dangling over the edge of the van, a warming bottle of beer unopened in his hand. His Hat was pulled down to the bridge of his nose to protect his eyes from the last of the blazing light of the sun set that he was bathing his body in. His shirt which had long been discarded had been made into a makeshift pillow behind his head.  
His bare chest bore faded scares that scattered his torso, the only indicators to the life he had lead, his lips twitched as he looked over them for the hundredth time and thought back to how each of them were earned. 

~ ~ ~

The war had ended four years ago, all in a rush really, the last Intel had been won by the Blu and the respawn had been switched off and after a while the Announcer had boomed down to them that they were on their own, free to go and that their last pay check would be cashed by the end of the week. Unfortunately the Announcement had been too late, it only took twenty minutes for everything to break down. the Blus, whether or not they knew the respawn had been deactivated, butchered the Reds.

The Red Sniper had been fairly high up in the rafters of the Sawmill so he had a birds eye view of the massacre, it had started when the Blu's heavy broke the neck of the Red Pyro, after that it was a blur of blood and screams. The Sniper saw the Red Heavy carry the protesting Red Medic into a large pick up truck before driving it through the gates and off into the winding mountains of the surrounding forest, the Sniper hoped that they had escaped and were now living in Germany , safe and sound.

Out of all the deaths of his team mates it was the Engineer that haunted him more than all the others, the Sniper had seen him creep back to the Pyros lifeless body to try and help his close friend. They had both thought that the Blus were out chasing other members of their teams, from his hiding place the Bushman could hear the Soldier’s War cries echoing throughout the base. 

The Engineer had checked the Pyros body before slumping down to his knees, pushing his hard hat off and pulling the Fire starter into his arms, rocking him backwards and forwards. The Sniper was about to climb down to help him and hopefully find a way to escape, when a blue flash raced past the Texan hitting him with a bat and sending him to the ground. The Blu Scout had launched into a vicious attack until the Engineer lay motionless, his head a bloody pulp. The Sniper had sat still, staring and trying to think of why someone would murder an unarmed man who was trying to help a fallen friend, it went against standards of morality while the smell of congealing blood filled his nostrils. 

The killing was over quickly but the Marksman wasn't one to take any chances, he stayed crouched in the rafters for two days after the last of the noise had ceased, he drank rain water from a hole in the room and went without food, he barely slept, he just sat and tried to come to terms with the fact that it was all over, five years of fighting and it all ended in twenty bloody minutes. 

After two days the Sniper had gingerly climbed down from his hiding place, his legs had ached from being cramped up for so long as he paced past the grizzly scene on the wooden floor, he went to find other possible survivors. He stalked all over the base and found no more Blus but sadly no more Reds either, not living ones anyway. 

The Bushman shook his head in the dying sunlight, screwing his eyes up to try and rid himself of the memories of his mangled team mates, The Demoman had been beheaded by a bone saw, the Scouts limbs had been scattered around Saw Mill and the Marksman had found the Solider slumped against a rock his body racked with bullet holes and arrows.  
The Sniper hadn't found their Spy, no doubt he had slipped away from the fighting and escaped like he himself had or at least that was what he was going to believe. 

The part that made it even harder to bare was the fact that the man he had fallen for was no where to be seen, The Blu Spy, who had sworn that when the war ended they would make a life together, was gone. That had hurt the Sniper more than he would ever admit to, after years in the bush it was hard for him to open up completely to someone and it was a heavy blow to him when he discovered that he had been deserted. The Blu Spy had turned out to be as distrustful as all the others, the snake had most likely used him for information that lead to the Blus winning this damned war and as he began to dig shallow graves in the bloody mud for his team mates he let himself weep bitter tears of grief. 

 

~ ~ ~

The Sniper rubbed his eyes as the air of the Australian outback cooled, that was the last time he had cried for himself or for his team mates and he wasn't about to start again now, for the first year after the war he had joined a cattle ranch but quickly realised he was a changed man so he took his trusty camper van and went back to the wild taking only the bare necessities and a faithful pup with him. He had found that Dog was a better hunting partner than any man could be and for the the last three years he had lived as happily as he could. 

He was so deep in his thoughts that he had not noticed an approaching car until Dog jumped up, his hunches raised and his teeth bared as the Midnight blue Roll Royce broke abruptly a hundred feet or so from the van, its tires causing soft clouds of dust to puff up into the air. The Bushman sat up quickly and narrowed his eyes, there hadn't been so much as a sheep truck come by all day and suddenly the most expensive car in the world had rolled its way up to the Snipers van, maybe the owner was lost? Never one to take chances the Sniper reached for his Kurki.

As the door on the other side of the car opened the Sharp shooter let out a low whistle to Dog, and the animal was off like a rocket, barking and snarling as he pounded round and leapt up at the stranger bringing him down in one smooth motion.  
“Get this rabid thing off of me” came a sharp yell over the sound of angry barking, the Sniper froze, he recognised that voice.  
“You have got to be bloody kidding me” he muttered and he climbed down from the van and stalked over to the car, as he rounded it he stood still to take in the scene.

Dog was pinning down a man in a dark blue suit already beginning to become dusty and fine Italian leather shoes that were most definitely not meant for the wilderness. “Dog, away” the Sniper barked and the beast reluctantly left his prey to stand a few feet away, ready to spring into action again.

The Marksman grabbed hold of a creased jacket and hoisted up the man from the ground so that his feet were a few centimetres from the ground. 

“My, my, Sniper 'ou are still rough and rugged, it is good to see” said the Blu Spy, a cheeky smirk played on his lips before he was rammed against the side of his car. 

“What the bloody hell are you doing here, Spook?” the Sniper snarled, his face inches away from the Spys. 

“I was looking for 'ou” came the reply before the Frenchman's head was bashed against the metal again.

“Don't fuck with me” the Aussie spat, “One word and that dog will be tearing your guts out”. He nodded towards Dog, who bared his fangs in a growl, for good effect.

“Please” the Spy said, his face sombre “I have been looking for 'ou all over the world, 'ou have to believe me”. 

“Why should I?” the pressure around the Spys neck increased ever so slightly, “You left me alone to listen to the sound of my team dying”.

“I had no choice” the smartly dressed man snapped suddenly. A paused filled the air as the two men looked into each others eyes.

“What?”

“My team saw 'our Heavy and Medic running off, that car would not have gotten them far, they wanted to pursue, I said that I would go. I knew 'ou would be smart enough to hide and to not do anything stupid, and I went after them, thanks to me they are alive and well and living in Switzerland. By the time I came back 'ou were gone I tried to follow 'ou but 'ou were very good at covering your tracks”. 

The Snipers mind whirled with this new information, not only were two members of his team were alive but the man who he had loved was back in his life. But years of war fare had made him cautious, perhaps this was a trick.

“How can I believe you?” the Australian asked sounding more confident than he felt. 

“I have a letter from the Medic” the Spy said, a hand patting a pocket of his jacket and handing it to the Sniper who let go of the Spy to tear the envelop open and read its contents. It confirmed what the Spy had been saying as well that the Medic and Heavy were both well and hoped to hear from the Sniper soon.

 

“How can I be sure you didn't write this?” the Sniper asked, as he stood back to eye the Frenchman wearily.  
“Do 'ou really mistrust me that much, Mon Cher?” the Spy said in a hushed tone, The Wild Bushman thought for a moment, all the old feelings that he thought he had buried with his team mates were beginning to wriggle their way up to the pit of his stomach.

A cool whisper of breeze whispered past them making their skin prickle from the sudden change of temperature. The Sky was turning from a brilliant red to a rosy pink, the sun was behind the hill and soon the day would come to an end. Dog was sat in the sand, his head to one side as he watched his master and this stranger carefully.  
“Four years” the Sniper mumbled, “where were you for four years?” 

“Looking for 'ou” the Spy smiled, making the Bush man's throat tighten. “I have been all over this country many times, looking for any sign of 'ou, hearing only rumours about you becoming a wild man, only ever in contact with other people if 'ou found a fugitive in the bush”. 

That would make sense the Sniper found himself thinking, he did travel never staying anywhere for more than a week and he still enjoyed a hunting men with a fat bounty attached to their name. 

“Where is your team now?” 

“Dead mostly” the Spy shrugged, his lip twitched into a sneer “ most of them didn't fit well back into society, I do not care, they were savages and I am glad of their demise”. The Sniper found himself feeling neither rejoice nor guilt at the news of the Blu teams death, just raw grief at loosing his small dysfunctional family, it would seem that times passage had done little to soften the blow.

“And why couldn't you help the rest of them?” the Sharp shooter needed to know if he was to finally put these demons to rest. 

“I Could not or I myself would have been killed, I thought that if I could help at least the Medic and that giant bear then I could redeem my soul at least a little” the Spy sighed, clearly thinking of what he could have done to offer the others some sort of escape. 

“What about the Spy?” 

“I met 'im when I was leaving to go after the other two, I asked 'im, begged 'im to follow me so that I could save 'im as well, but 'e would not trust me and was adamant that 'e would not leave without the Scout and 'e went the other way towards the fighting. I don't know what became of 'im, but as I learnt from battling 'im, 'e is a man full of tricks so there is a good chance that 'e got away.”.

The Spy looked at the man that he had spent so long trying to find, now it was obvious to him that seed of mistrust had long ago been planted and it would be a long road ahead to get the intimacy that they had once shared together, but the Spy had come this far he sure as hell wasn't backing down now.

“Mon Char” the Spy said gently, taking a step closer to the Sniper and reaching out to caress the ageing scar along the wild man's left cheek, Dog let out a low snarl but was quelled with a hand signal from the Bush man. “I am sorry I left 'ou alone for so long, it was not my intent. But I am here now, I am 'ours, now and forever and no matter how long it takes I will make 'ou trust me again” 

The Spy lent into towards the Sniper, sensing the hitching breath of his long lost partner, hand still gently tracing his jawline, slowly he placed his lips to the Snipers in a kiss that he had waited so long to give. The Sharp shooter to begin with was stiff and reserved unsure on how to react, but after a moment or two he too melted into kiss. His head was beginning to feel light and dizzy, his heart was thudding fit to burst and his knees felt as if they were turning into jelly. It was years since he had felt like this and he had missed it.

When they broke apart, both were breathing heavily, cheeks flushed and eyes shining. The Sky now was a deep blue and the first few stars were starting to blink in the sky as a cold gust swished around the bodies, causing hair to stand on end and a shiver to go through the Frenchman who was not use to the cold of the night and whose thin suit was doing little to keep out the cold. 

The Sniper cleared his throat, “we had better go inside, unless you want to freeze” he ducked his head and stuck his hands in his hands in his pockets as he sloped to pick up his shirt from the bumper. Dog followed him faithfully unsure on what to make of the new human who smelled of rich spices. The Spy smiled as he watched his old lover. 

“Since when where 'ou a dog person?” he asked walking over and offering his hand to the animal, Dog sniffed cautiously, his ears pricked and alert before nuzzling into the offered hand.  
“He's a part of my family and your going to have to get you to it” the Aussie said as he pulled his shirt back on. The Frenchman's head shot up, to get use to something you would have to be around it for a while at least. 

“'Ou want me to stay?” the Spy asked hopefully, as the Sniper leant against the doorway of his Camper van and looked at the Spook. 

“well if you don't mind the heat, and living in a van with us then yeah why not?” the Australian grumbled, his eyes downcast but a small shy smile on his lips. “But you got to loose that damned mask”.

“Agreed” the Spy nodded and returned the smile, this was a very good start, his Marks man wanted him, he wanted to share his life with him, The Spy felt a small glimmer of hope growing in his heart, this was the first step to getting the Sniper to fully trust him again and it made his heart skip with joy. 

“Sides, Dog seems to like you” the Sharp Shooter said smiling as Dog wagged his tail before trotting into the van for the night.  
The Sniper nodded his head to indicate the Spy to follow which he did gratefully and the door was shut behind them

The Small Camper was alive with life more than it had been in years, the two of them sat down to a modest meal of wild rabbit and spinach with a bottle of red wine between them as they remembered times from the war and toasted the fallen Red team. 

After some time the lights in the Camper went out as the two men fell asleep in each others arms. The outback was lit only by bright stars twinkling silently across the night sky in brilliant swirls of far off constellations and the Hill side was silent apart from the Occasional distant howl of a wild dog.


End file.
